Spray spout for use in a dishwashing machine



Sept. 1, 1964 H. J. KOMANNS 3,145,953

SPRAYSPOUT FOR USE IN A DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1963 INVENTOR.4 M? wvs l 7 6/N w/ch L135 5* BY [Jami United States Patent.

3,146,953 SPRAY SPOUT FOR USE IN A DISHWASHING MACHINE Heinrich JosefKomanns, Vi a de Breme 25, Milan, Italy Filed June 4, 1963, Ser. No.285,311 Claims priority, application Italy Apr. 6, 1963 Claims. (Cl.239-538) *drawbacks.

One drawback arises from the fact that the water jets arenot strongenough and are not able to strike the insides. of objects to be washed.Very often the cleaning water. strikes the inside and outside surfacesof dishes, etc., only on the rebound. It also should be noted that theWater jets generally are sprayed on the dishes by gravity and thisexplains the poor cleaning efliciency.

Inaddition, the water jets are not directed in a sufficierit variety ofdirections to strike the dishes from every possible angle so as toperform a thorough cleaning.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the drawbacks abovementioned by using in a dishwasher a spray device that is practical anduseful and is less expensive than existing ones.

These and further objects of the invention are achieved by employing ina dishwasher, of the type including an outer water tight housing and aseries of dish holding racks, a spray device which essentially includesat least two coaxially and relatively rotatable elements that areprovided with means which, by their relative motion, eject one or moremovable water jets, issuing concurrently, in several directions and atseveral heights, said directions being cyclically variable, the insideelement con stituting at least a chamber with a supply of water underpressure.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the spray device consists oftwo coaxial cylinders, vertically mounted and rotating at differentangular velocities, this including opposite directions of rotation, andlocated at the center of the dishwasher. On the exterior of the innercylinder there is provided at least one groove, i.e., passageway,coincident with a generatrix of the inner cylinder. Said groove connectsthe inner cylinder containing the water with the outside cylinder inwhich there is provided a helical slot of constant or variable pitch sothat due to the relative motion of the two cylinders several jet issuingorifices are defined at continually varying heights and radiallocations, said orifices constituting those portions of the groove andslot that, at any moment are in common, i.e., superimposed.

Thus the dishes to be Washed (radially arranged in the dishwasherhousing) are struck by the water jets as the latter are variouslyoriented and disposed at varying heights.

The invention now will be described with reference to a preferredembodiment, given as an example only and shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows the dishwasher in a vertical sectional view to a reducedscale;

FIG. 2 shows on a larger scale an elevational view of the spray deviceonly;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional transverse view taken along the line 33 of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 shows the spray device of FIG. 2 in a longitudinal sectionalview, the same being taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 shows a sectional transverse view taken along the line 55 of FIG.4.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the dishwasherhousing (FIG. 1). B denotes the racks. C is the spray device that issuesthe water jets in several directions. A vertical shaft 1 constitutes ajournal and supports the gears that transmit rotation of a motor 2 to aninner cylindrical element 3 and to an outer cylindrical element 4, bothrotating but in opposite directions.

The shaft 1 also supports the outer cylindrical element 4 which latterconsists of a hollow metal tube provided with a slot 5 connecting theinterior to the exterior of the tube, said slot being in the shape of acircular helix of 360 length (FIG. 2).

The inner element 3 consists of a hollow cylinder ensheathed by and inrotatable contact with the outer element 4. Said inner element is formedwith two external longitudinally extending grooves 6 (passageways) ondiametrically opposite sides of its external side surface, the groovesrunning for substantially the full height of the element 3.

As mentioned earlier, the particular object of the pres: ent inventionis to allow the distribution of the water under pressure successively atditferentlocations through the orifices formed by the superimposition ofthe spiral slot 6 in the outerelement 4 over the grooves 6 in the innerelement 3.

For this purpose water under pressure is supplied to the two straightgrooves 6 of the inner element 3. The water enters through the annularorifice 7 of a chamber 8 into which it is fed through a pipe 8a.

Two diametrically opposite water jets, located apart, are thus obtained.The radial positions and heights of said jets are continuously varied bythe relative rotation between and the absolute rotation of the twocylindrical elements 3 and 4.

Due also to the fact that the inner cylindrical element 3 rotates, thepositions of the water jets vary continuously in a horizontal plane,i.e., issue in continuously different radial direction; as a result,both the orifices through which the two spouts are ejected generate ahelix.

For the foregoing purpose, the rotary motion is transmitted to the innercylindrical element 3 by a pulley 9 keyed on a collar 10 of a sleeve 11in one piece with the bottom end of the inner cylindrical element 3.

To transmit rotary motion to the outer cylindrical element 4, anepicyclic gear train is provided consisting, for example, of threeplanet gears 12 rotatably supported on a disc 13. The planet gears meshwith a pinion 14 which turns with the inner cylindrical element 3. Theplanet gears also mesh with an internally toothed ring gear 15 thatturns with the outer cylindrical element 4.

The chamber 8 is water tight with respect to the cylindrical elements 3and 4, this being accomplished, for example, by sealing rings 16 and 17received in grooves 18 and 19 formed in collars 20 and 21, respectively.

By varying the relative speed between the cylindrical elements 3 and 4it is possible to vary the radial and elevational speeds of the waterjets.

In FIG. 1 there is shown in section a bottom casing D consisting of ashroud 22 and a bottom plate 23 through which passes the shaft 1 thatsupports the collar 10. Said collar is turned by the motor 2 through abelt 24 and pulleys 9 and 25. In said FIG. 1 it also is possible to seethe positions of the racks B constituted by the elements 26 located atdifferent heights and conforming to the outline of the chamber 27defined by the housing A in the center of which is disposed the spraydevice C that operates the movable water jets.

What is claimed as new is:

1. For use in a dishwashing machine of the type described, a spraydevice comprising:

(a) an elongated inner cylinder,

(b) an elongated outer cylindrical tube ensheathing and coaxial with theinner cylinder in rotatable contact therewith,

(c) means continually turning the cylinder and tube at different angularvelocities so that both the cylinder and the tube turn and experiencerelative angular motion,

(d) means providing an elongated passageway on the exterior of thecylinder and running longitudinally thereof,

(e) means providing an elongated slot connecting the interior of thetube to the exterior thereof and running longitudinally of the tube,

(1) at least one of the passageways and the slot extending in acircumferential as Well as a longitudinal direction so that points alongthe length thereof vary progressively in a radial and an axial manner,and

(g) means to introduce water under pressure into the passageway,

(12) whereby a water jet issues from the spray device at the continuallylongitudinally and radially shifting point that the slot is superimposedover the passageway.

2. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cylinder and tubehave their longitudinal axes vertically arranged.

3. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one of thepassageway and slot is of helical configuration.

4. A spray device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the helix is 360 inlength.

5. A spray device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the other of thepassageway and slot is straight.

6. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the slot is of helicalconfiguration.

7. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cylinder and tubeare turned in opposite directions.

8. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cylinder has morethan one passageway.

9. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the turning meansincludes a prime mover in driving engagement with the cylinder and agear train interconnecting the cylinder with the tube.

10. A spray device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the gear train isepicylic.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,191,483 Thomas July 18, 1916 1,651,083 Brotz Nov. 29, 1927 1,851,251Hurlimann Mar. 29, 1932 1,931,996 Schimpke Oct. 24, 1933 2,605,091 SockeJuly 29, .1952 2,648,568 Sommer Aug. 11, 1953 2,695,002 Miller Nov. 23,1954 2,747,589 Cicero May 29, 1956 2,968,442 Grabski Jan. 17, 19613,026,046 Wickham et a1 Mar. 20, 1962 3,073,527 Gilson Jan. 15, 1963

1. FOR USE IN A DISWASHING MACHINE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, A SPRAY DEVICECOMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED INNER CYLINDER, (B) AN ELONGATED OUTERCYLINDRICAL TUBE ENSHEATHING AND COAXIAL WITH THE INNER CYLINDER INROTATABLE CONTACT THEREWITH, (C) MEANS CONTINUALLY TURNING THE CYLINDERAND TUBE AT DIFFERENT ANGULAR VELOCITIES SO THAT BOTH THE CYLINDER ANDTHE TUBE TURN AND EXPERIENCE RELATIVE ANGULAR MOTION, (D) MEANSPROVIDING AN ELONGATED PASSAGEWAY ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE CYLINDER ANDRUNNING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, (E) MEANS PROVIDING AN ELONGATED SLOTCONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF THE TUBE TO THE EXTERIOR THEREOF AND RUNNINGLONGITUDINALLY OF THE TUBE, (F) AT LEAST ONE OF THE PASSAGEWAYS AND THESLOT EXTENDING IN A CIRCUMFERENTIAL AS WELL AS A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTIONSO THAT POINTS ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF VARY PROGRESSIVELY IN A RADIALAND AN AXIAL MANNER, AND (G) MEANS TO INTRODUCE WATER UNDER PRESSUREINTO THE PASSAGEWAY, (H) WHEREBY A WATER JET ISSUES FROM THE SPRAYDEVICE AT THE CONTINUALLY LONGITUDINALLY AND RADIALLY SHIFTING POINTTHAT THE SLOT IS SUPERIMPOSED OVER THE PASSAGEWAY.